RUHR OCCUPATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18764, 18 January 1923, Page 7

RUHR OCCUPATION

FRENCH IN DORTMUND. GERMAN EXCHANGE COLLAPSED. COMMUNIST RIOT AT BOCHUM. Press Association—By Tclegroph—Copyright LONDON, January 16. (Received Jan. 17, at 8.5 p.m.) The exchange with Berlin has collapsed. It closed at about 76,000 marks to £l, after touching 80,000. —A. and N.Z. Cable. BERLIN, January 17. (Received Jan. 17, at 7.25 p.m.) When the mark reached 78,000 the Reichsbank placed some of its reserves of foreign currencies on tho market and stopped the rot. At one time 85,000 marks were offered to the £l, Tire Reichsbank is daily printing 25,000 millions of the new bank notes, but even these fail to meet the needs of Germany. Tuesday's crash was partly due to a wholesale buying of foreign currencies, in order to meet the payments for British coal.— A. and N.Z. Cable. FRENCH IN DORTMUND. BERLIN, January 16. (Received Jan. 17, at 8.5 p.m) The French entered Dortmund at noon. —A. and N.Z. Cable. TROUBLE AT BOCHUM. PARIS, January 16. (Received Jan. 17, at 3.5 p.m.) It is officially confirmed that a mob of young Communists attacked the French post at Bochum Railway Statioq. Some shots were fired, upon which the French replied. Two of the demonstrators were killed.—A. and N.Z. Cable. COAL REQUISITIONS. MILITARY ENFORCING DELIVERY. PARIS, January 15. Advices' from Essen state that firm arrangements have been made, under tho auspices of the military authorities, for tho requisition of coal under martial law, including the repression of agitation and stoppages of work. Measures have been taken to frustrate alleged attempts to remove the rolling stock from the Ruhr, and laden trucks, which were consigned elsewhere, are being diverted to France and Belgium. The Control Committee announces a discovery that the coal tax has not been collected for the past three months, which resulted in manufacturers getting coal 40 per cent, below normal rates.—Reuter. PARIS, January 16. (Received Jan. 17, at 8.5 p.m.) French advices from Essen claim that the prohibition against the execution of coal requisitions has not been generally observed, as some mine owners began to fulfil them to-day.—A. and N.Z. Cable. FRENCH AMBITIONS. VAST TRUST ALLEGED. BERLIN, January 17. (Received Jan. 17, at 8.5 p.m.) Referring to the French general’s threat to arrest recalcitrant owners, a coal director declares that this will not induce the owners to comply with the French demands. The Daily Express learns that all Frenchmen are being expelled. Tlie Morning Post says: The German view is that the French action in the Ruhr is designed to create a vast allEurope trust for the fusion of the French and German steel industry, including coal and iron ore supplies, with power to manipulate the international labour market.—A. and N.Z. Cable. AMERICA’S ATTITUDE. NO ACCEPTABLE PLAN IN SIGHT. WASHINGTON, January 16. Senator King has introduced a resolution in the Senate asking what instructions the State Department gave to Mr Boyden, the American observer on the Reparations Commission, prior to his speech opposing French -policy regarding Germany. The resolution, which was referred to the Foreign Relations Committee, is construed as virtually demanding the State Department’s attitude regarding reparations.—A. and N.Z. Cable. (Received Jan. 17, at 7.25 p.m.) It was emphatically stated by White House that Mr Boyden has received no reparations settlement plan which has tho sanction of the Government.—A. and N.Z. Cable. EARLIER MESSAGES. FRENCH MORE DETERMINED. PERMANENT OCCUPATION MOOTED. PARIS, January 16. The French attitude has considerably stiffened as the result of German obstruction. There are signs that the occupation of the Ruhr is likely to become less invisible and less purely economic, and that German resistance will meet with very visible military pressure. Already there is talk iu the press of taking hostages among the business men and high officials in the occupied territory. Le Matin foreshadows the making of the Ruhr and Rhineland a buffer State in the event of continued German recalcitrance. Advices from Berlin show that the Boxing League has decided that, owing to the occupation of the Ruhr, French and Belgian boxers shall notl be allowed to appear in Germany.—Reuter. An official announcement states that the troops will occupy Dortmund to-day. GERMANY DISMAYED. SLUMP IN THE MARK. NEW YORK, January 16. The German mark has reached the lowest on record, and is quoted at 18,000 to the dollar. Bankers report heavy offerings in Berlin, Amsterdam, and London. —A. and N.Z. Cable. BERLIN, January 16. The further occupation o? the Ruhr produced something like absolute dismay, to which the abrupt fall in the mark contributed. There is a new profession of German readiness to enter into negotiations with the Entente as a whole, and a clamorous demand for Herr Cuno to declare his full policy. Meanwhile the public are floundering aimlessly about, talking vaguely of tho prohibition of French plays anil of boycotting French and Belgian articles of luxury. They are growing more and more Francophobe and more and more depressed. At Munich serious street fighting followed a demonstration in connection with tho day of mourning. Tho demonstrators attacked a procession of Socialists, crying; “Down with the traitors’ flag!” “Down with the Jews’ Republic!” It is noteworth v that at the official demonstration the old Imperial German flag was flying, and there were no signs of the Republican flag.—The Times. MUSSOLINI’S ADVICE. ROME, January 16. In a speech to the Cabinet, Signor Mussolini declared that he advised France to limit, as far as possible, the military character of her action in the Ruhr; also not to shut the door upon the possibility of

an agreement, which Ttalv believed bo he possible, and for which fihe was working. He declared that no entente that was formed for the purpose of securing peace in Europe could succeed without the participation of Britain, and expressed the opinion that 'Prance would probahlv yet view favourable the Italian plan _ for reparations, which was presented in London.—Renter. NEW DEFAULT DECLARED, PARTS. Januarv 16. The Reparations Commission declared that Germany was miiltv of voluntary default as regards deliveries of cattle. The British representative did not vote.—A. and N.Z. Cable.